[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3880-H3881]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        REPLACING CERTAIN COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM MAPS

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1663) to replace certain Coastal Barrier Resources 
System maps, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REPLACEMENT OF CERTAIN COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES 
                   SYSTEM MAPS.

       (a) In General.--The 2 maps subtitled ``NC-07P'', relating 
     to the Coastal Barrier Resources System unit designated as 
     Coastal Barrier Resources System Cape Fear Unit NC-07P, that 
     are included in the set of maps entitled ``Coastal Barrier 
     Resources System'' and referred to in section 4(a) of the 
     Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(a)), are hereby 
     replaced by 2 other maps relating to those units entitled 
     ``Coastal Barrier Resources System Cape Fear Unit, NC-07P'' 
     and dated May 5, 2004.
       (b) Availability.--The Secretary of the Interior shall keep 
     the maps referred to in subsection (a) on file and available 
     for inspection in accordance with the provisions of section 
     4(b) of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 
     3503(b)).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi).


                             General Leave

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the Senate bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1663, introduced by Senator Elizabeth Dole, will 
remove 284 acres of private fastland, wetlands and open water property 
that has been mistakenly included within the Coastal Barrier Resources 
System. A similar bill, H.R. 2501, has been proposed by our colleague 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre). Specifically this 
legislation would replace two incorrectly drawn maps with updated 
digitized maps that accurately reflect the boundaries of the Cape Fear 
unit in North Carolina. This unit, which is referred to as an otherwise 
protected area, was established to protect certain public lands already 
held for conservation purposes. Regrettably, because of honest 
mistakes, the boundaries delineated on the maps erroneously include 
private property that is not an inholding. Under the terms of this 
measure, 26 homes and a number of undeveloped lots on Bald Head Island, 
North Carolina will be removed from the system. At the same time, 
however, 6,760 acres of additional military and State park lands will 
be added to the coastal barrier system for a net gain of 6,476 acres.
  During the hearing on this legislation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service testified in support of this needed correction and stated that 
the private properties in question are outside the boundaries of the 
conservation area and are not held for conservation purposes.
  I urge support of this bill so that these homeowners can obtain the 
Federal flood insurance they need to protect their property and so that 
the boundaries of this coastal barrier unit can accurately reflect 
those lands that should be held for conservation purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H3881]]

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman from Arizona for again his 
management of this proposed legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill was introduced by the gentlewoman from North 
Carolina, Mrs. Dole, and in compliance also a companion bill was 
introduced in the House by my good friend the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).
  As stated by the previous speaker, Mr. Speaker, S. 1663 is 
noncontroversial legislation that would correct the boundaries of an 
otherwise protected area located near the mouth of the Cape Fear River 
in North Carolina. I want to thank again Chairman Gilchrest and Ranking 
Member Pallone of the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife 
and Oceans for their contributions in making an improvement to this 
proposed legislation.
  The technical corrections contained in the new maps that would be 
adopted through passage of this bill have been painstakingly reviewed 
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and all local property owners to 
ensure their accuracy. In fact, I cannot recall another comparable bill 
that has undergone such a thorough review. In this regard again I want 
to congratulate and praise the House sponsor of companion legislation, 
H.R. 2501, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), for his 
perseverance in seeing this process through. The gentleman from North 
Carolina's diligence and persistence have resulted in a final product 
that addresses the legitimate needs of his constituents. Most 
important, Mr. Speaker, this legislation respects and upholds the 
integrity of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System. For 
that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1663, a 
bill to replace certain Coastal Barrier Resources System maps relevant 
to Bald Head Island, North Carolina. Having worked with the U.S. House 
Committee on Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on making 
these necessary corrections to the maps pertaining to Bald Head Island, 
I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives will be moving 
forward and passing this legislation today.
  Congress enacted the Coastal Barrier Resources Act in 1982 in order 
to address problems caused by coastal barrier development. The Coastal 
Barrier Resources Act restricts Federal expenditures and financial 
assistance, including Federal flood insurance, for development on 
coastal barriers.
  Later, the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 added ``otherwise 
protected areas'' to the System. Otherwise protected areas are 
undeveloped coastal barriers within the boundaries of lands reserved 
for conservation purposes such as wildlife refuges and parks. While 
they were not made part of the Coastal Barrier Resources System, 
Congress forbade the issuance of new flood insurance or any Federal 
development-related assistance in otherwise protected areas.
  Three years ago, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the citizens of 
Bald Head Island informed me that the maps of the area on the island, 
known as NC07P, were inaccurate. The errors in the maps deny flood 
insurance to certain property owners on Bald Head Island, North 
Carolina. These errors resulted from the problems inherent in 
translating lines drawn on the large-scale maps used for designations 
into precise, on-the-ground property lines.
  However, this problem is now fixable due to improved technology 
available to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The mistakes that led to 
the Bald Head Island properties being placed within the outer boundary 
of NC07P were clearly not intended by Congress when maps were created.
  While correcting the lines around Bald Head Island, the Fish and 
Wildlife Service--working with the State of North Carolina and the 
local communities contained within NC07P--identified additional acres 
that are eligible for addition to NC07P. As such, the technical changes 
called for in this legislation, which I was pleased to work so closely 
on with Senator Elizabeth Dole, have the added benefit of vastly 
increasing the overall acreage in the map.
  Many people were involved in this process. Mr. Speaker, I would like 
to acknowledge the work of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the 
Committee on Resources, U.S. Representatives Richard Pombo and Nick 
Rahall, as well as the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Subcommittee 
on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, U.S. Representatives 
Wayne Gilchrest and Frank Pallone. I would also like to thank Senator 
Dole for her hard work on this; Dave Jansen of the Resources Committee; 
Katie Nemi, Paul Suza, and all of the staff over at the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; Becky King, former Village Manager of Bald Head 
Island; and Mary Ellen Simmons of my staff for all of her hard work in 
coordinating this incredible effort.
  As hurricane season approaches, there are landowners on Bald Head 
Island who, by no fault of their own, would be left unprotected if a 
storm were to hit the lower Cape Fear region. That is why this matter 
requires immediate attention, and why I urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes'' on this important piece of legislation.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 1663, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill, as amended, was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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